Advance word on JERRY MAGUIRE said it would do for pro sports what THE PLAYER did for the film industry. If you haven't seen THE PLAYER, go rent it. Now. Everyone should see THE PLAYER. It's a nasty little tale about the backstabbing, ego-driven -- and ultimately murderous -- business of making movies. Some people outside the industry decried it as too morally bankrupt to believe. Some people inside the industry thought it was a documentary.

I liked THE PLAYER, but I don't care much about pro sports. Except for the occasional peek at the football scores, give me the comics section over the sports page any day. So I didn't think I'd enjoy a rehash of THE PLAYER in a sports setting.

As it turns out, the advance word was wrong. Sure JERRY MAGUIRE *is* about "a player." The title character is a sports agent at the top of his form and the bottom of humanity. He works for Sports Management International, procuring big money contracts and endorsement deals for athletes while glossing over details like their personal well-being, or the meaning of the game. But whereas THE PLAYER shows how these kind of people have no heart, JERRY MAGUIRE is about how they can grow one.

The story begins when Jerry (played by Tom Cruise) has a flash of clarity about his life and profession. In a fit of passion he writes a memo (or rather a mission statement) that he circulates to his colleagues about how to make their business human again. Once the statement is in everyone's hands, he realizes he's made a BIG mistake.

I don't want to go any further into the details of the story, because part of my enjoyment derived from not knowing anything about this movie. Let's just say, this is a rich screenplay with three intertwined stories. Each story could stand on its own as the center of a film. There's Jerry fighting to stay in business and find an identity he can respect. There's a love interest, named Dorothy Boyd (played by Renee Zellweger), an adorable single mom with an adorable only son. She falls for Jerry's ideals and must find the way to his heart. And then there's one of Jerry's clients, Ron Tidwell, played by Cuba Gooding, Jr.. Tidwell may be the best wide receiver in the NFL, but he's got the biggest attitude problem west of Saddam Hussein and, as a result, no big money contract, no big money endorsements. Jerry has to contend with his ego and maybe make him a star.

All three of the leads shine. You believe that if Tom Cruise weren't an actor, he'd be a sports agent. He plays both sides of the coin perfectly -- a slick hustler and a vulnerable idealist at the same time. Renee Zellweger is just great. You believe if she weren't an actress she'd be a single mom... just kidding. She matches perfectly with this warm-hearted, idealistic character. I've never seen her before and it's just as well. If Cruise had been paired with someone recognizable, like a Gwyneth Paltrow or Sarah Jessica Parker, the movie would have lost plenty. Winning Jerry is Dorothy's Cinderella-type dream. Casting an unknown for her emphasizes just how much of a dream it is. Cuba Gooding, Jr. made me laugh and groan in frustration as he puts Jerry through the wringer. His high energy belies the subtle changes his character goes through over the course of the movie.

Supporting cast, top of the list: Bonnie Hunt (JUMANJI, ONLY YOU, BEETHOVEN). She plays Dorothy's cynical older sister. Her down-to-earth, deadpan humor perfectly balances Dorothy's idealism. If you've seen Bonnie in interviews, you know this is the comedy that comes most naturally to her. She's just great. Next on the list is Dorothy's kid, Ray, played by Jonathan Lipnicki. He's very cute and therefore gets a lot of these little zinger lines. However, I got the feeling that he'd be saying and doing the same things whether he was playing a part or not. At one point, I feared he might steal the show from the adults, but in the end his part is appropriately sized.

What amazed me most about JERRY MAGUIRE was how much I liked the characters. And the way in which I liked them was different from most movies. It wasn't that I identified with them, or simply thought Renee Zellweger is cute or Cuba Gooding funny. I watched these people chase their dreams and face their trials, saw them lower their defenses and bond together. I came to know their strengths and their flaws and was left feeling very close to them. It felt like family -- which is probably why JERRY MAGUIRE was able to make me both laugh and cry.

Of course there wouldn't have been any great characters or good performances without writer-director-producer Cameron Crowe. He was writer-director for SINGLES and SAY ANYTHING, which may give you an indication of his ideas about comedy and romance.

I tried very hard to come up with something bad to say about this movie. I didn't come up with much, and what I did come up with really didn't bother me much. First, there's predictability. It's easy to call how the movie will develop. But like a roller coaster, JERRY MAGUIRE kept me interested and engaged even though I could see where it was going.

Another problem point could be the sugar factor. Some people might find Dorothy and Ray a teaspoon too cute. I know I did at the beginning of the movie. But as I got to know them, the cuteness no longer seemed contrived. Sometimes, I felt the dialogue a tad awkward, too, but the actors make it work.

Maybe these problems will be more annoying on a second viewing. But there's nothing I can say about my first viewing of JERRY MAGUIRE other than I really enjoyed it.

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